Somewhere in the Obsidian Fieldlands...
Everything was calm. Silent. Not even the young Buneary were awake at this time of the night.
That was interrupted when what looked like sparks started appearing in the firmament. The amount of them started increasing, until they all converged into a single point. It started flashing in a brilliant light blue light that could blind anyone that looked at it directly.
Colored particles started coming out of the 'rift'. A few at first, but a lot of them after a few seconds. At this point, the anomaly had started making a loud noise, that started going louder and louder... until...
*CRACK!*
A huge lightning bolt fell on the middle of Grandtree Arena, waking up all the Pokémon living in the surrounding forest.
Rei's quarters, Jublife Village.
Our two protagonists were soundly sleeping, with Eevee all cuddled up inside Zoroark's mane. None of them seemed to be bothered by the sunrays coming from outside.
The only audible sound was that of the two Pokémon's breathing, or at least, until someone decided to knock on the door, waking both of them up.
"Hey, Rei! Good morning! Are you up? Quite some lightning last night, wasn't it?" Came Akari's voice from the other side of the door. "Today's the day of your trial, so umm... let's give it our all!"
It was when she finished talking and there was no more noise that Zoroark's ears registered what she had just said. He slowly opened his eyes with a groggy expression.
"Ughh, is it time to wake up already?" He asked, mostly to himself. Zoroark then gave a few nudges to the Eevee on top of him, feeling her move a bit. "Come on, sleepyhead. It's time for our trial!"
She made a sound that seemed like a groan. "Already? Five more minutes..."
"No more minutes! You have to wake up! That human girl is waiting for us outside and I can't get out of here looking like this! So get off my head and let me stand up!"
"You sound like my mom" She laughed, before squirming out of Zoroark's mane. "You know, I'm happy that you evolved before deciding to do this"
"What, because you can sleep on my head? This was a special occasion because you were injured! I'm not letting you sleep there every night!"
"Well, I guess I'll have to sneak inside once you are asleep then!"
The two friends laughed as the larger Pokémon stood on his feet and casted his illusion once again.
"I never gave it much thought, but how should I call you now? Because with all of this secrecy thing and all of that, I don't know what to do" Eevee said, jumping on top of the fake human's shoulder.
"Either is fine. But call me Rei in public, just so that other Pokémon don't suspect anything either"
"Gotcha"
Once that was settled, Rei walked to the door and exited the small hut he had been provided. Akari was waiting for him just a few steps away from the door.
"What lovely weather we've got!" She greeted. "I hope you had a nice sleep, even if this land is new and unfamiliar to you" She added smiling slightly.
New and unfamiliar? I guess they are. Never been out of the icelands, so this is kind of new and unfamiliar.
"Let's go to the headquarters. Captain Cyllene is waiting for you" A nod later and the two were walking towards the biggest building in the village.
Once Rei entered through the huge double doors, he gasped in awe. The entrance alone was huge, with its red carpeted floor with a big golden symbol.
"The Survey Corps offices are here, on the first flo-" She tried to say, but was interrupted by someone.
"Don't give up! Keep those eyes open!" Someone shouted.
"The wild Pokémon, they...they were everywhere! Attacking from all sides... I sent out my partner Pokémon, but against a whole pack... Outnumbered..." Another voice said.
"This is what happens when you go so far afield! Luckily, you didn't get sent flying like those other fools that decided to enter the wrong cave the other day. The medical corps will have it a lot easier to put you to right" The first voice added.
Rei chuckled a bit, in contrast to Akari's worried face. "That man's with the Security Corps...and even with his own partner, he took a beating from wild Pokémon..."
"Well, that's what Pokémon do!" Eevee commented.
"You are lucky that you already seem to have a partner Pokémon. Otherwise, your trial would be...particularly hard"
Akari then headed to the wooden arc that led to a small office. "Captain Cyllene? Rei is here"
"You may enter" The blue haired human said.
Once the two were in front of the desk, Cyllene walked in front of the desk and put her hands to her back. "Let us get straight to it" Her serious face and tone made Rei recoil a bit, but a small pat from Eevee made him relax. "If you wish to join the Galaxy Expedition Team, prove yourself capable by going out into the Obsidian Fieldlands and catching three different species of Pokémon: Bidoof, Starly and Shinx"
Akari's gasp echoed through the room, luckily making Rei's less louder gasp impossible to perceive. "Catching three Pokémon from the start? No one in the Galaxy Team has managed that!"
Cyllene sternly looked at the girl. "Did this stranger not bring back three Pokémon without the use of any Poké-Balls only yesterday? This trial should be a piece of cake for him, if the professor wasn't exagerating things, that is"
Her glance went back between both of them. "The Galaxy Team does not have the means to provide for those who only take without giving. If you wish to stay, you must prove beyond my doubt that you will be an asset to our cause"
Rei nodded. I will do it. There is no way I'm going back with my pack! Specially because I don't know how to go back...
...
What if I fail?!
The captain walked closer to Rei and gave him a small cream colored bag. "I will lend you one of our Survey Corps satchels to carry whatever you may need in the field"
Rei looked at it for a while. "What are you waiting for? Try it on" Cyllene pressed.
Rei tried his best to tie the satchel around his waist, but it was clearly meant for a human torso, and not a Pokémon's. Luckily, the illusion seemed to have adapted to the new piece of clothing.
Akari looked at Rei from top to bottom. "Tha satchel doesn't exactly match your umm...mode of dress"
"Akari" Cyllene interrupted, making the girl turn. "I'll expect you to step in if anything goes awry" She nodded in response.
"Pardon, Rei! Could you come with me for a moment, please?"
The professor had walked through one of the adjacent arcs to the office the two were in. Rei nodded and followed Laventon outside Cyllene's office.
"Now then, a jolly good morning to everyone!"
"Is something the matter, professor Laventon?" Akari asked.
"In order to complete the Pokédex and, well survive in this unforgiving land, Rei must absolutely pass this trial!" He smiled. "And as a professor of Pokémon, I have the ticket to help accomplish that!"
The professor then took out three Poké-Balls and threw them in the air. From them, three familiar Pokémon emerged.
Not this again...
"Finally! I was getting tired of that stupid ball!" Oshawott yelled, stretching his body.
"I don't mind too much. It's very comfortable in there!" Cyndaquil answered back.
"You guys will never stop arguing, will you?" Rowlet sighed before noticing Rei. "Oh, hey there, Poké-human"
The other two Pokémon stopped talking immediately and turned to Rei too. "Hey, it's the human that can understand us! And he's carrying the Eevee on his shoulders too!" Cyndaquil exclaimed.
"Rowlet told us about what she thinks you are. How did you come here all the way from the Icelands?" Oshawott asked.
"We got teleported. And don't ask anything to him directly when there are humans nearby" Eeevee answered for him.
"For this trial of yours," The professor cut through the discussion. "there is going to be fighting for sure, and you will need a Pokémon that is able to fight. Unfortunately, your Eevee is not exactly in its best condition, so go on, Rei! Pick a Pokémon that strikes your fancy!"
"Woah, is this guy trying to replace me?" Eevee exclaimed, sounding offended.
"He said one of us is going with your poké-human because you can't fight" Rowlet clarified.
"I can fight!"
"If the professor says you can't, you probably can't"
"Oh, and what do you know about me, you little-"
Rei quickly put a hand in Eevee's muzzle and sneakily shook his head. "Wait, one of us is going with him? " Oshawott huffed.
"Hey, it's a good opportunity to get better and stronger!" Cyndaquil exclaimed. "Probably?"
"Ughh, I have enough with being taken care of by some human! I don't need to be taken care of by another human!"
"Technically he isn't human..."
"I don't care, I'm not going!" Oshawott said, crossing his arms and giving his back to Rei.
Honestly, I wasn't going to choose you. I can't even stand you for a few minutes, I can't even imagine how it would be if you were with me...
With Oshawott out, that only left Cyndaquil and Rowlet. Eevee still was looking at the grass type with a murderous look, which really made Rei think that picking Rowlet was going to end poorly.
Sighing, Rei pointed at Cyndaquil. He didn't look like he was expecting it at all. "What? You've chosen me? But why? I'm...not strong at all... You'll be better off picking Oshawott"
"Hey!" To everyone's surprise, that was Oshawott's voice. "Don't say that, okay? You may not be strong, but you were the one that said it a few seconds ago! Going with that human is a perfect opportunity to become stronger, which, even if I know you for less than two days, I know is your goal! So don't make excuses and go with him!"
"You...You really mean it?"
Oshawott's face turned red. "You are not hearing anything else out of me today"
"I'm gonna miss you so much!" Cyndaquil yelled, hugging the water type tightly.
"Gotta say, Oshawott. I would have never thought you'd say something that mature. Congratulations" Rowlet said.
"Yeah, yeah. Just go with the human already!"
Cyndaquil let go of Oshawott and walked towards Rei. "And with that, one of the Pokémon you brought back from Prelude Beach is now yours to keep! Don't worry about returning it, it looks happy with you" The professor said. "Now, here you go" Laventon gave Rei a Poké-Ball. "This is Cyndaquil's Poké-Ball. You'll need to have it if you want to recall it, or transport it easily!"
"Good look, Cyndaquil! You better come back and be able to beat me!" Oshawott shouted.
"Take good care of him, alright Poké-human?" Rowlet said.
"Thanks, guys! I'll... I'll miss you so much" Cyndaquil stammered, supressing a tear.
"It looks like they are cheering on their friend! Or perhaps they are just jealous... Who knows?" The professor looked at Rei in the eyes. "By the by, what species has Captain Cyllene charged you with capturing?"
Rei was about to say something, but stopped himself before it was too late. He didn't have a way to answer, and the professor just asked a question that couldn't be answered with a yes or no.
I'm going to get caught, and I haven't even begun with this!
Just then, something came to his mind.
Wait, if I can imitate a human body, a voice can't be too different! Alright, just think about the words, and how Cyllene said them, and repeat them in your voice. Please, let this work...
"Bidoof,...Starly...and...Shinx"
Eevee widened her eyes. "Well, that's smashing! All three of those species can be found in the Obsidian Fieldlands! Let me give you some Poké-Balls to use in your trial, then" Laventon gave Rei twenty Poké-Balls, which he put in his new satchel. "Those Poké-Balls may be hand crafted, but they work a treat, as you've already seen!"
"I guess you are finally ready!" Akari said. "You'll have to leave the village for that. Turn left after exiting the headquarters and then head for the gate"
Rei nodded, and was about to walk away, but the professor interrupted him. "Before you go, however, we should settle something that's been bothering me"
Laventon took an extra ball from his bag. "Ever since you appeared here, you've been with that Eevee, but I have noticed that you had no Poké-Balls on you" He gave the ball to Rei, and he dreaded what he had to say next. "Every Pokémon should be assigned to a Poké-Ball in order to minimize the chances of it getting stolen, and to make it easier to carry it. And since your Eevee doesn't seem to be officially caught by you, it's important that you do it as soon as possible"
Rei and Eevee shared glances. The former's worried, the latter's reassuring. Rei tried to make gesture to ask the two humans if he could go home, earning a pair of confused looks. "Ummm, what are you doing?" Akari asked.
"I think he's...trying to tell us something?"
"But...why not talk?"
Rei simply shook his head and made a triangle with his hands. "You want to...go to your quarters?" The professor thankfully guessed.
The fake human nodded. "Umm, sure? But shouldn't you start with your trial immediately?"
"Oh come on, Akari. I'm sure our boy here just needs a bit of preparation! Isn't that right?"
Rei nodded again. "What? But he doesn't have-... Fine then. I'll wait for you near the gate. Don't take too long!"
"And don't forget to catch your Eevee!"
Practically bolting to the small hut that was given to him, Rei entered it and closed the door behind it.
"Rei, you know you are going to have to do it eventually. The trial is about catching three Pokémon, you know? And also, the mimicking you did was super suspicious" Eevee said.
"I know! But...I can't bring myself to catch you! You...you are my friend, Eevee! I can't..."
"Hey, listen up!" She said, grabbing the fake human's face. "You knew you would have to do it someday! Heck, the trial is about catching three Pokémon! Do you think I'm keen on getting caught? Of course not, but I know that you are the one doing it, so it's not that scary. So please, throw the ball at me before I change my mind!"
"I know! But...you are my friend! I just...what if it hurts, or something goes wrong?"
"Umm, if you don't mind me intruding, getting caught is not that bad as it sounds. It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket all around your body!" Cyndaquil, who had stood in silence up until now, commented.
"Exactly! And besides, you may not be able to always carry me on your shoulders!"
Rei took another look at the wooden ball. He didn't want to admit it, but Eevee was right. He knew he was going to have to do this, but actually doing it felt wrong. He shook his head and sighed.
"Fine! But mark my words: I will never catch a Pokémon that's unwilling to let themselves get caught!"
"Yeah, I imagined you'd say something like that" The small brown quadruped laughed, jumping from the fake human's shoulder. "Now, come on. I said I was going to go with you, and I'm going with you, no matter what I have to go through! Let's do it!" Despite her attempt to sound confident, a hint of fear was still present of her voice.
"Alright, here it goes" After a small amount of time where Rei had second thoughts, he gently tossed the ball towards Eevee. It hit her head before bouncing back a small distance and opening. The Pokémon that was standing in front of Rei became a beam of blue energy that was sucked inside the ball. The device then fell to the ground.
It stood motionless for a few seconds, but suddenly it jumped from the ground into the air, shaking violently and small puffs of smoke coming from it, before going back to the ground. It finally emited a big puff of smoke from the top, and didn't move anymore.
Rei, who had been silently praying to Arceus that nothing went wrong, fell to the ground, making a loud groan. "Poké-human? Are you alright?"
"Yeah, just overwhelmed. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would have been the one that used a Poké-Ball on my best friend. This...this feels so surreal..."
"You are going to have to tell me how you two got here whenever you can"
"Maybe tonight... For now, I'm taking her out of that thing"
As quickly as he could, Rei picked the Poké-Ball and threw it in the air. Eevee appeared in front of him in a flash of light. "How do you feel?"
"Well, it was...weird. I felt as if I was asleep...but also not. I could hear everything you were saying, but otherwise felt just like if I were taking a nap" She answered. "Also, I think I finally figured out what I want to evolve into"
"Huh? Really?"
"Yes. Espeon. That way, I will be able to read your mind and you won't need to talk out loud at all"
"Woah! You aren't saying you want to evolve into an Espeon just because of me right?"
"Well, not really. Evolving into one was already among my options, the others being Glaceon, or even Flareon, but I think I have it settled now. Plus, don't you think pink would look good on me?"
"I can't picture my best friend becoming completely pink!"
"Well, you'll have to start, because I finally settled! Just wait until we go back to the Icelands!"
"I'll repeat again, you guys really need to tell me what happened to you before coming here" Cyndaquil interrupted.
"Sure! I'm sure Rei can't wait to tell you" Eevee teased.
"Ha, you know me! Such a shame that we have to go to that trial now... But I need to pass it if I want to stay here, and going back is not an option"
"Let's go, then! That girl must be wondering why you didn't speak to her after, well, speaking! How did you do it?"
"I really don't know... I was just imitating what Cyllene said to me, just in my voice"
"Wait, so does that mean that you can speak human, as long as you hear it before?"
"I...prefer to do it just in emergencies. Just in case I mess up"
"Yeah, I understand" Eevee once again jumped got om the disguised Zoroark's shoulder. "Let's go already!"
Rei turned around and was about to open the door, when he noticed the fire type walking next to him. "Hey, Cyndaquil. Don't you want to hop on?"
"Huh? I...I can?"
"Of course! You are part of the team now, right?"
"You mean it?"
"Of course! Get on! It's a free ride!" Eevee joked.
"One more of those and you are going back to your Poké-Ball!"
"Oh no, please! How could I ever survive something like that?" She exaggeratedly cried.
A few laughs later and the small fire type was climbing on top of Rei too. "Hey, Poké-human?"
"You can call me Rei, or just Zoroark"
"Rei? Thanks for choosing me back there. I promise I will become so strong that you won't have to carry me anymore!"
"No problem bud. Now let's go to that gate before that Akari starts getting nervous"
Heading for the gate, Rei and his two Pokémon passengers saw from a distance how Akari was talking to another, more taller human. Whoever he was wore a big blue coat, a white apron with a weird symbol and a blue and yellow cap.
"Who is that guy? He looks...bizarre" Eevee asked.
"I...don't know? Cyndaquil?"
"No idea. From what I gathered, I think he's a merchant"
"A merchant..."
Once they were close enough for the two of them to notice, the tall human was the first one to turn his head to look at Rei. "Oh? What a curious getup you have there! I can already tell you are quite the character!"
Putting his arm to his waist, he spoke again. "I'm Volo, of the Ginkgo Guild. The go-to choice for any of your mercantile needs in Hisui! I've heard talk about you. Supposedly fell from the sky, didn't you? Now, that's certainly a tale I'd like to hear..."
Volo eyes the two stowaways on Rei's shoulders before speaking again. "Oh, and you have a pair of Pokémon with you! Out of their balls too! You are certainly full of interesting surprises..." He said, completely incredulous.
"Investigating the odd and novel is key to any good member's success! So what do you say? How about you and I see how our Pokémon stand up to one another in battle?"
...
A battle? So soon?! I don't even know how to battle like a human properly!
"Well, you see, Rei here has one of his Pokémon injured, so it is not able to battle" Akari explained.
"Is that so? Well, a one-on-one doesn't sound like a bad idea, does it?"
Rei looked at Cyndaquil, who was slightly trembling. "I...I can't do this! I never fought a Pokémon that has been trained by a human before! I'm not strong enough to win..."
"And you think your fake human here has fought a battle as a human before? Speaking of which, you should have trained that before coming here" Eevee shot back.
"I don't know..."
"Hey, I don't care if you are not strong. You just need give your best, okay? " Rei whispered.
"What did you say?" Akari suddenly asked him, to which Rei shook his head.
"Interesting indeed..." Volo commented.
"Do you really think I can do it?"
"Of course!"
"...Okay! I trust you!"
Cyndaquil leapt down from Rei's shoulder and onto the ground, his flames flaring strongly. "I take that's a yes?" The merchant inquired from the other side.
Rei nodded. "Yes, I like you better and better! What a delightful find! I've also heard about this trial you're to attempt. Let's have a quick battle to get your blood pumping before you head out! Though, I hope you know that you will lose if your Pokémon faints!"
News flash! Not like I've been living with that information in my mind since I was hatched...
With a confident smirk, Volo took one of his Poké-Balls and threw it in the air. Rei was expecting a big and strong Pokémon that could help Volo with his merchant duties, but instead, something else came. A Togepi.
"Tremble in front of my immense power, for you will not be able to after I'm done with you!" The Togepi exclaimed.
Arceus, not another Pokémon like that...
"Aww, that's so cute!" Eevee squealed.
"Cute?! How dare you! You are lucky you are on one of that human's shoulder, or you'd have suffered from my immense wrath!"
Rei was holding the urge to chuckle right there. "What's so funny?" Akari asked from the sideline.
The disguised Zoroark just shook his head. "Do I really have to battle him? I don't want to hurt him too bad..." Cyndaquil commented.
"You will pay for such disrespectful words! Now, on your guard!"
That's when something hit him. How was he going to yell the names of the moves out loud? Eevee also widened her eyes when she realized it.
"Alright, Rei! Are you ready?" Volo yelled, and he reluctantly nodded. "Good! Togepi, use Tackle!"
The small Pokémon threw himself against Cyndaquil, who was not fast enough to dodge. "Ow!"
"Fast, what moves do you now?" Eevee shouted.
"Quick Attack! I haven't had the chance to learn anything else!"
Eevee turned her head to her partner and then back to the fire type. "Listen, whenever Rei makes a signal, use the move!"
"What signal?"
Rei used his hand to slash the air. "Alright!"
"Quit the talking and attack already!" Togepi taunted.
"Alright, Togepi! Tackle again!"
Rei made the signal. This time, Cyndaquil dashed out of the attack's way and then hit the small fairy type with his head, all at inhuman speeds.
"What?! You didn't even talk! How is it possible that your Pokémon knew that it had to use Quick Attack?!" Akari exclaimed.
"Ahaha! I wasn't lying when I said you were full of surprises! Togepi, try Tackle again!" Volo added, his face full of amusement.
Bingo. She said it.
Not needing to do the gesture anymore, but still doing it because he thought it looked cool, Rei suddenly shouted. "Cyndaquil! Quick Attack!"
"You got it!"
Togepi tried to launch himself towards the fire type, but he once again missed as the small mouse Pokémon zipped out of his way. Togepi tripped and was left vulnerable to another attack. "Cyndaquil, Quick Attack! Again!"
The Pokémon jumped at the fairy type too quickly for the latter to react, and was hit by the full blow of the attack, sending him flying.
"I...can't...lose...like this..." He said, swirls in his eyes. Volo recalled him to his Poké-Ball not too long after that.
"I...I did it?" Cyndaquil asked.
"You did it! See? We told you that you could do it!" Eevee cheered.
"It's always fun to have your Pokémon do battle, don't you think? That's the way to make them stronger!" Akari exclaimed. Her excitement then faded slightly. "But so few people here have their own Pokémon. If only more knew how to use Poké-Balls..."
Volo walked closer to Cyndaquil and kneeled down. "Now, let me help your little battler from its exercise" He grabbed some strange looking jar with some purple liquid inside and opened it. "Eat it. You'll feel much better"
Cyndaquil looked back at Rei, who, after a nod from Akari, nodded back to the fire type. He drank the contents of the bottle before coughing. "Aghh! This tastes awful! But... it's true! I feel so much better now!"
Volo smiled and stood up again. "And to you, my sky fallen friend... I present to you some Potions in thanks!" He gave Rei five of the bottles like the one he had just given Cyndaquil. "These Potions will help your Pokémon whenever they are worn out after a battle. They don't taste too good, but the results are clear!"
The merchant smiled. "I hope you pass that trial of yours. More members of the Galaxy Team means more customers for yours truly, after all!" Saying that, he turned tail and walked through the gate.
Akari immediately rushed him and grabbed his shoulders almost making Eevee fall. "How?! How did your Pokémon understand what you were saying without talking? And why did you suddenly start calling out your attacks?"
Rei of course, couldn't answer, both because of inability, and because he was at a loss of words. Sweat was starting to drip from his forehead. A visual illusion was something easy to do, but what was behind it was unchangeable. Luckily, Akari backed away, seemingly without realizing anything. "Sorry about that. You are just...a weird case. Came from a space-time rift, and you have an ability with Pokémon no one else here does. It's just..."
Rei just waved his hand dismisively. "You don't mind? Really?" He shook his head. "Thank you, once again. Now, onto the Obsidian Fieldlands! Whenever you leave Jublife Village, be sure to tell the guards where you are going after choosing your destination"
The guard nodded. "You must be Rei, right? I was informed about your trial. Please, take care and come back alive"
The trek didn't take too long. It was just an hour at most, and Zoroark and Eevee spent that time looking around the grassy landscape. To them, all of this was completely new, while to Cyndaquil, it was just a boring and long walk.
Finally, Akari and Rei arrived at a small campsite. There was a pair of tents and a small fire in the middle. It was guarded by a pair of guards that were having a friendly chat with each other.
"This is our base camp, the last safe haven before you reach the wilds" Akari explained. "For your trial, as you already know, you must catch three species of Pokémon: Bidoof, Starly and Shinx. Are you ready to get started?"
Rei was about to nod, but Akari suddenly spoke again. "Oh, Professor? Is something wrong?" As if suddenly appearing from nowhere, Laventon walked towards the duo and crossed his arms.
"Ah, well, you see... Captain Cyllene got hold of me after you left... She impressed upon me that I bear full responsability for whatever happens to 'our sudden guest'"
"That's our unsparing captain. But what help exactly can you offer out here, professor?"
"To be honest, my dear girl, I don't intend to lift a finger! Rei's talents are the real deal! I mean, he's carrying two Pokémon on his shoulders at this moment. I'm sure he will pass with flying colors. You'll see!"
"Ah. So the responsibility still lies on me, then... Well, I'm sure Rei will be fine! Let's start with the trial!"
The fake human made a thumbs up. "Follow me! We'll catch a Bidoof first!"
Akari took Rei to a small opening in the rocks that surrounded the campsite. They were on top of a hill, and every part of the Fieldlands could be seen from there. His mouth hung open, and Eevee's followed suit.
"There's...no place in the Icelands were you could see this much land at once..." She commented.
And even if there was, the blizzards would make it impossible to see beyond my snout... Or nose? I don't know anymore.
"I see you two are amazed. This is Aspiration Hill! The species of Pokémon you are meant to catch all live here"
While the two of them were too busy looking at the marvelous sights, Cyndaquil suddenly spoke. "Hey! Look, there's a Bidoof!"
Indeed, from between the grass, came the small Pokémon jumping around, still oblivious of their presence. "And here comes a Bidoof!" Akari told him. "The key is to aim carefully. Not that you will need my advice, I'm just sharing what I know"
The girl looked at the Pokémon, who was now munching some grass. "Bidoof have a mellow disposition, which means that they don't usually run away from people, so this should be easy"
Rei nodded. "Good then. I'll wait for you here"
The disguised Zoroark gulped loudly. The time he was fearing the most had arrived, and there was no way around it. With slow steps, he began walking to the Bidoof, and Cyndaquil took notice of it. "Come on, Rei! You have already done it with Eevee!"
"Yeah, but she was willing!"
"Hey, Rei! I'm sure there has to be a way to let them go, right? Just catch them, show them to that scary lady and release them back! You will have completed your trial, and you won't have any unwilling Pokémon trapped!" Eevee added.
"Wait, we can do that?" He exclaimed, turning to Cyndaquil.
"I...suppose? I mean, I have not seen any humans do it, but there must be a way. There is a big area for Pokémon to roam free back at the village, so I guess you could just let them get out of there? I don't know. You should ask"
"That...is actually a great idea! How could we have not thought about it before! Now I'm feeling much more confident! Let's do this and show that Cyllene what we are made of!" Rei yelled, raising a fist.
"Yeah! That's the Zoroark I know!"
By the time that was settled, they had arrived next to the small normal type. She looked up to them almost immediately. "Oh, a human! And you are not wearing those weird blue clothes! What brings you here?"
"He's on his way to join them! He's doing a trial right now!" Eevee answered for him.
"Oh really? And what is it about?"
"He needs to catch three different types of Pokémon!" Cyndaquil replied.
"Yup yup, that sounds like a human trial. Well, good luck to you three!" Once she had finished talking, the Bidoof went back to eating the grass.
Rei took one of the Poké-Balls from the satchel and aimed. Alright, remember that you can release her later. You just have to show her to the captain and that's it. Alright, this is what you've been dreaming! This is the exact reason why you left your pack! You can't fail this!
"Wait..." Bidoof started, but it was too late. Rei had already thrown the ball at her, and it hit her without problems. Just like with Eevee before, the Pokémon became a flash of blue light that was sucked inside the Poké-Ball. The device shook and let go some smoke, before falling to the ground and stopping moving.
A big puff of smoke was launched from the top. It was a success.
"You did it, Rei! You catched your first Pokémon!" Eevee cheered.
"Well, I'm not sure she's the first one. You have also been caught, right?"
"Well, yeah! I'm supposed to be your first partner, isn't that right, human? "
"Shut up! Dreams are dreams, no matter how ridiculous they are!"
"Agreed!" Cyndaquil chimed in.
"Hey, Rei!" Akari yelled from behind, running towards them. "You did it! You caught a Bidoof! Well done! Now, it's time to find our next Pokémon!"
Akari led Rei further down the hill, where his next part of the trial was going to happen. The girl stopped a few meters away from another Pokémon. A Starly.
"That's a Starly. They are skitish little things, and will run away if startled. However, you should be able to get close to it without getting spoted, as long as you crouch! Getting into tall grass will make it even more difficult for it spot you"
Rei nodded again. He crouched down, and got inside the patch of grass next to him. Slowly, he made his way to the oblivious Starly, who was looking around searching for something. "Now, if I were one of those berries, where would I hide..." He mumbled.
Rei got closer and closer, until he was mere inches from him, until...
Crack*
He stepped in a twig. The Starly immediately turned around and saw him, jumping back in shock. "Wah! A human! G-Get away!"
"No, wait! I'm not a human! I'm a Pokémon, just like you!"
"What? But...why do you look like that then?"
"I am trying to pass a trial to join the humans, so I'm trying to catch three different species of Pokémon! That's why I look like this!"
"You are catching Pokémon? But you just said you were one!"
"Well, yeah! I plan to release everyone I caught after I'm done"
"...But why are you here then?"
Awkward silence followed. "Well, ummm... You see...one of the Pokémon I need is a Starly...so ummm..."
"Oh, no! I am not going inside one of those balls!" Starly screamed, preparing to fly away. Rei quickly grabbed another Poké-Ball.
By that time, Starly had already begun to fly, so he aimed, and threw the ball in the air. It was too weak to hit its target. "Not on my watch!"
With a quick leap, Eevee jumped in the air, and used Swift to launch the Poké-Ball towards the fleeing Starly. The force of the attack made the ball fly fast, and it hit him before he could fly away. Eevee landed on Rei's shoulder again.
Just like with Bidoof, Starly's Poké-Ball ended up puffing smoke from its top, signaling another succesful capture. Eevee sighed. "That hurt. Please, remind me not to use any moves again..."
"Sure, gotcha" His partner answered back.
"Woah! Your Eevee's strategy to make the ball hit that Starly was amazing! That's another Pokémon done and one remaining!"
For the last time, Akari ran down the hill, and stopped shortly after, in front of a tree. "I forgot! There is something I ought to teach you, since you are still new to this!" She picked a Poké-Ball from her waist. "Try to throw your Pokémon's ball at rocks, or trees like this one, to make it investigate. If your Pokémon finds any interesting items, it'll bring them to you! And well, since your Pokémon are already out, try telling them to attack the tree! I will be waiting a few steps forward!"
"My turn!" Cyndaquil said, jumping to the ground. He approached the tree and looked at it for a few seconds before ramming it with his head. A few Oran berries fell from the tree. The fire type rubbed his head shortly afterwards. "I shouldn't have done it like that..."
"Well, duh! You could have tackled the tree instead of ramming it with Quick Attack" Eevee laughed.
"On the bright side, we've got some Orans!" Rei added.
"Yeah! If you ever get hurt, you can munch one of them and not drink a Potion that's supposed to be only for Pokémon!" Eevee exclaimed.
"What?! He can eat them but we have to drink those awful tasting things?"
"Hey, she never said you couldn't eat any berries!"
"Rei! Are you coming already?" Akari yelled.
Cyndaquil decided to walk beside Rei when the three were headed beside Akari. She was cautiously eyeing another Pokémon in the distance.
"Dude, is there really no one around here? I'm itching for a Pokémon to test my new move on!"
A Shinx was walking around that part of the slope, looking around for any Pokémon that crossed his path.
"Shinx has an aggressive disposition. Could you already tell that?"
Based on the fact that he's searching for Pokémon to act as his training dummies, yeah, I can tell.
"Once aggressive Pokémon get irate, they will knock away any balls you throw at them! Don't worry, though. I'll teach you the trick to catching aggressive Pokémon!"
I can already take a guess...
"You've got to battle them! Once they are absorbed with battling, you can throw a Poké-Ball at them to try and catch them!"
Of course it would be battling.
"You just need to throw a Poké-Ball near the Pokémon you want to battle, or in your case, send one of your Pokémon to battle it! I've got no doubt you'll hold your own!" She started rubbing the back of her head. "I think I'll stay back this time again..."
Nodding, Rei walked towards the electric type which turned around to face them the moment he was next to him. "Huh? A human? Well, it ain't no Pokémon, but it will do! Come here, human!"
Seeing the Shinx charging a Quick Attack, Rei quickly rolled out of the way, making Eevee fall from his shoulders and onto the ground.
"Hmph! You are quite fast for a human!" The electric type huffed.
"Thank you! Good to see that I haven't lost my speed!" Rei replied, taking the dirt off his invisible fur.
"Wait what? Did you just understand me?"
"No time for explanations. I have a trial to complete. Cyndaquil, you're up. Eevee, sorry for that"
"No worries. I'll just stay here for now"
"Alright!" Cyndaquil yelled, jumping in front of Rei.
Arceus, I really need to find time to fight sometime soon. I've never been almost two days without using any moves... And this stupid illusion is really tiring.
"Oh, so you wanna fight? Come at me!"
Checking that Akari was far enough as to not hear anything he said (something he should have done earlier), Rei began giving his instructions.
"Alright, Cyndaquil! Start with a Quick Attack!"
Cyndaquil threw himself against the electric type, but he just shrugged it off, as if it were nothing. "Tsch! You think that's a Quick Attack? I'll show you a real one!"
Repeating the same move that Cyndaquil had used, the Shinx charged against the fire type, but Rei caught how his speed was much higher.
Cyndaquil yelled in pain. "Ow! It hurt so much! Why did it hurt so much? We have the same level of strength!"
The Shinx just smirked. Rivalry. That's his ability. He is stronger than Cyndaquil because they are both males.
"Cyndaquil, his ability makes him stronger, but don't let that intimidate you!"
"Was that a pun?" Eevee commented.
"Not the time... Cyndaquil, Quick Attack again!"
Cyndaquil once again ran towards the Shinx, and he was about to dodge again, but Rei was faster. "Cyndaquil! Jump in the air!"
Cyndaquil went airborne, and left Shinx with a dumb stare as his opponent was a few feet above him. "Now, tackle him from the air!"
Cyndaquil started falling, and he did so with a speed that matched Shinx's previous one. The headbutt hurt both Pokémon, but Shinx took the most damage.
"That's what I'm talking about! This is what a real fight feels like? It's so awesome!" He yelled, before running with another Quick Attack towards the fire type.
"Cyndaquil, dodge! And counter with another Quick Attack!"
"Nah, I have something better!" The fire type exclaimed.
Using Quick Attack to dodge, he ran behind Shinx and before he could react, Cyndaquil's flames lit up even brighter, and a stream of fire fired from them, engulfing Shinx entirely.
"Woah! When did you learn Ember?" Eevee exclaimed.
"I don't know! This was supposed to be another Quick Attack!"
"Well, this just makes things easier for us!" Rei exclaimed.
"You think that an attack like that will bring me down? This fight is not over until I faint!" Shinx interrupted, his body full of scratch marks and his front left paw burnt.
"As you please, buddy. Cyndaquil, Ember again!"
This time, the electric type dodged the fire blast, but tripped on a pile of dirt. Nonetheless, he still hit Cyndaquil again with another, much weaker, Quick Attack.
"Are you sure you can keep fighting? You look a bit worn down. I think you should give up before you hurt yourself too much" Eevee asked the electric type.
"And stop having fun with my first battle? No way! I can still keep up! I can still-" Shinx fell down to the ground, panting. "Ugh..."
"Welp, I think we won!" Rei said, walking towards Shinx and kneeling down. "Here, eat this. You should feel better" He added, offering one of the Oran berries Cyndaquil got before.
The downed Pokémon slowly ate the berry, and after swallowing, he slowly stood back up, his legs shaking slightly. "This was... This was so much fun, human. And that Cyndaquil was so strong too!"
"Strong? Me? You are giving me too much credit..." The fire type said, blushing slightly.
"Not at all! I wish I could battle you over and over again!"
"Well... You could, but that's something we can discuss later" Rei smiled, pulling out a Poké-Ball.
He gently let the Poké-Ball fall on top of the Shinx, and he was sucked inside. The smoke that appeared shortly after signaled a successful capture.
Rei sighed. "We did it..."
"You did it, Rei! You passed your trial! You got the three Pokémon you needed!" Eevee yelled happily.
"Can I get an Oran too? I'm feeling a bit dizzy..." Cyndaquil interrupted.
"Oh, of course!"
While he was eating his berry, Akari quickly came running towards the three of them. "You... You approached those Pokémon without a hint of fear, and caught each one... You are like a gift the sky dropped to us! With you on our side, I think the Survey Corps has a real chance of compiling a complete Pokédex as we've been ordered!"
"This is wonderful!" She added, jumping in joy. "I'm still curious about where you actually came from, but for now, let's tell the professor we are ready to head back!"
Rei nodded. They keep saying I fell from the sky, but no one seems to know that I got teleported there. They don't need to know, however. The 'fell from a rift' thing is a good enough excuse for me.
Once they arrived back at the camp, the professor greeted them with a wave. "Oho! I said you'd pass the trial with flying colors and it seems you went and did just that! Congratulations, Rei! You took your first step towards seeking out every Pokémon!" The professor pulled a small device. "This calls for a commemorative photograph! Smile for the camera!"
Not knowing what that thing the professor took out was, Rei opted to follow his instructions and smile. Eevee and Cyndaquil followed suit. A flash came from the 'camera' and then a small paper was printed out.
Laventon didn't give a chance for Rei to look at the paper before he stored it somewhere. "With skills like yours, I suppose this was a foregone conclusion! Now then, we'd best report to Captain Cyllene. Time to head back to Jublife Village, eh?"
Both Akari and Rei nodded. "Does that mean you two get to stay?" Cyndaquil asked.
"Pretty much!" Eevee replied, sighing from relief. "I knew you could do it!"
The walk home was not as boring as the walk to the Fieldlands. Akari spent most of the way congratulating and praising Rei for his amazing ability with Pokémon, which the boy just shrugged off.
Before they knew it, they had already arrived at Jublife Village, and after saying hello to the guards, Laventon guided the two to the Survey Corps quarters.
"In time, you'll be able to send Pokémon you've caught to the village pastures. You can only bring six Pokémon with you to the field, in theory. Though, we never had anyone skilled enough to do so!"
Rei tilted his head. "Pas...tures?"
"Yeah! That's where people leave their Pokémon if they can't bring them with them! They are always being kept under the watch of a keeper that feeds them, and takes care of them. Of course, the pastures have limited capacity, so you shouldn't go overboard with catching Pokémon! If you ever feel like it, however, you can also ask the keeper to release the Pokémon back into the wild"
"See, told you!" Cyndaquil interjected.
"Come now, you two! Let's not dillydally! Captain Cyllene awaits our report at headquarters.
"I bet the captain will be very pleased!" Akari added.
Once they entered the headquarters and Cyllene's office, they found her reading some papers behind her desk. "It seems we won't have to leave you to die, after all" She said, without looking at them. Finally, her eyes left the paper and landed on Rei. "Congratulations, you've passed your trial. You can hold on to that satchel. I must admit you've impressed me. I set a high hurdle to judge whether a stranger like yourself could be worthy, but you cleared it"
The captain got up and approached him. "This is yours, the official uniform of the Survey Corps" She gave Rei a bunch of clothes that looked just like Akari's. He gasped. "Get changed in the room you used last night. Then you are to report at once to the third floor. Present yourself in your uniform to our commander. This is your first official order from your captain!"
Without anymore words, Rei sprinted back to the room he had slept in, and immediately dropped his illusion when he locked the door.
"Arceus almighty, this is really happening!" Zoroark said, taking a look at the uniform. His uniform.
"I can't believe this is happening. You did it, you crazy 'mon! You did it! You are one of those Survey Corps now! I'm sure your sister would be so proud of you" Eevee said.
"I...I don't even know what to do! I never thought I'd get this far!"
"Well, you heard the scary lady! You have to put that uniform on and go to see that commander! Arceus, you look scary without your disguise..." Cyndaquil told him.
"Yeah, how are you gonna do that? That satchel already looks weird, I don't even want to see you wearing human clothes!"
"That's simple" Zoroark unfolded the clothes and took a look at them. "I'm not. Just gotta adjust the illusion to make them think I'm wearing this instead of the other clothes" His eyes then caught a piece of clothing he hadn't seen before. "Except this cap. It's sick! I'm physically wearing this"
He walked towards the mirror inside the room and casted the illusion again. This time, wearing the uniform and the cap. "Hey, you look so cool!" Eevee exclaimed, walking beside him.
"I still don't know why you are doing this, but I gotta admit that those clothes look amazing on you!" Cyndaquil added.
"Thanks guys. But before we go see that commander, I think there are some things we should discuss. Like..." He took the three used Poké-Balls that contained the three Pokémon he had caught earlier. "I'm gonna let them out and ask them if they want to stay, or leave. Then, we'll go to the pastures to let go of the Pokémon that want to go back to the wild. Afterwards, we'll go see that commander. Sounds good?"
"Yep, sure!" Cyndaquil agreed.
"Better drop your illusion now. You don't want to scare them" Eevee warned.
"Oops! Yeah you are right about that..."
Once that was settled, Zoroark threw the three Poké-Balls, and Bidoof, Starly and Shinx appeared inside the room.
"What the-?" Bidoof began
"Damn, I feel so good after that rest... Wait, where am I?" Shinx asked.
"Oh no! We have been captured by that human! Nonononono! What am I gonna do now? I have to go back!" Starly nervously yelled.
"Hey, relax! Maybe we should ask the other three Pokémon in the room, don't you think?" Bidoof interrupted, making the three of them turn to Eevee, Cyndaquil and Zoroark.
"Hey! You are in Jublife Village now" Cyndaquil greeted.
"Jublife Village? What is that?" Shinx asked.
"I'll tell you! One of those human settlements! We are doomed! We'll never be free again!" Starly squaked.
"Wait, so we've been caught by a human? I don't remember that..." The electric type mumbled.
"That's because you were too beaten up after that battle! And no, you haven't been caught by a human. None of you" Eevee explained.
"What?! Then why were we inside Poké-Balls?" Starly asked, still sweating.
"Well..." Eevee gave a sideways glance to Zoroark. "Let's say this guy is a bit to ambitious with his dreams..."
"Huh?" The three Pokémon exclaimed.
"Hehe... Remember that human you all saw? The one that was with a a Cyndaquil and an Eevee?"
"Yeah?"
"What about it?
"That guys was rad!"
"Well..." He looked at Eevee, who nodded in encouragement. "That human...was me"
A few moments passed before Bidoof and Starly exclaimed at the same time. "What?!"
"I knew that voice was familiar! You were so good back there! How did you-" Shinx couldn't finish his sentence before he too realized what Zoroark had just said. "Wait, you were the human?"
"Yeah... It's hard to explain, alright?"
"Wait...you are one of those Pokémon from the Icelands... One of those-" Bidoof began, before widening her eyes. "Z-...Z-Zoroark..."
The other two Pokémon widened their eyes too. "Aren't those supposed to be like...one of the most dangerous predators in the Icelands? One of the main reasons why that place is so dangerous?" Starly squaked nervously.
"No wonder you beat me! You must be crazy strong! Let's battle right now!" Shinx yelled, preparing a Quick Attack.
"Are you crazy?! Don't upset him, or we'll be dead before you know it!" Starly once again shouted, flapping his wings.
"You really think I wanna kill you? I know I haven't eaten Bidoof meat in...forever, but honestly, the food the humans make is more delicious. No, I let you out because I already passed the trial I needed you for, so I'm giving you the chance to go back to the wild. I don't want to keep you here if you don't want to"
"Yes! Please, I can't stay under the ownership of any human! Or scary looking predator... I need to go back! So ummm...please, don't eat us!"
"For the last time, I'm not eating anyone! Alright, so I see Starly's got it very clear. What about you, Bidoof?"
"Hmmm, ignoring the possibility of this being a trap,..."
"Which is not" Eevee interrupted.
"I suppose I wouldn't mind staying with you. But that would requiere battling, right?"
"Very probably"
"Then I can't. I prefer a more quiet way of life, without having to fight"
"Alright, that's two out. Shinx, what about y-"
"Are you kidding me?! After all the fun I had battling your Cyndaquil, you expect me to just go back to that boring hill where no one wants to fight? No way in Giratina's domain I'm doing that!" He interrupted.
"I suppose that's a yes?" Zoroark asked.
He vigorously nodded. "And I want a rematch sometime!" The electric type added, looking at the fire type.
"Whenever you want!" He answered.
"Does that mean...we are not going to get killed today?" Starly weakly asked.
"Unless you find any trouble back in the Fieldlands? No. Now I'm going to return you two to the Poké-Balls and take you to someone that will release you back to the wild. I think that's how it works..."
"We have to go back to those...things?"
"Well, as long as we go back to the wild, I don't mind. I trust you"
"What?! Are you being serious, Bidoof?"
"Starly, if he wanted to kill us, he would have already done that. Plus, how is he going to do something to us if we are inside a Poké-Ball?"
The flying type still seemed reluctant, but finally nodded. "Alright... Just don't take too long, please"
"Sure thing!" Zoroark picked the two of the balls. "I hope this are the ones. They are all the same!"
Luckily, the two Poké-Balls recalled both normal types on the first try. "Alright, let's go to the pastures" Zoroark said, standing up and turning around.
Shinx suddenly tackled him with Quick Attack, making him fall down. The mischievous Pokémon didn't waste any time in climbing onto his back. "Hah! I won this time!"
"You know, I may be regretting letting you stay already" He chuckled, before casting his illusion. In front of the the three Pokémon, Zoroark was replaced by Rei, who was wearing his newly given uniform, plus the cap, the only real piece of clothing.
"Woah... you are so cool!"
"Thanks, but that's not gonna make me forget about your little sneak attack. I'll get you back"
Eevee and Cyndaquil both jumped on Rei's shoulders. "Rei, how is Shinx going to come with us? You only have two shoulders..." Cyndaquil commented.
"I have the solution for that, don't worry" Eevee answered. She proceeded to climb on Rei's head, and placed herself on top of his cap.
"Hope you are comfortable up there!" Rei teased.
"Much more than on your shoulder! I can still feel your fur under the illusion!"
Rei chuckled and looked down at Shinx. "Come on! Get up here!"
"Wait, you aren't going to carry us in a Poké-Ball?" He asked.
"Do you prefer if I do that?"
"No way! I want to see this human place! I'm sure there has to be a lot of Pokémon I can battle!"
"Well, you won't be battling anyone for now. We have to report to my new commander first of all, but we'll stop by the pastures to let this two go. They probably won't take too long to send me to a mission, so don't worry about fighting. Sounds good?"
"Yeah!" Shinx climbed onto Rei's shoulder. "Let's go!"
Rei smiled and walked towards the door. His dream was to see the whole region, and the fact that he had joined the Survey Corps was already a huge step towards it.
After quickly greeting the human in charge of the pastures and somehow managing to explain to her that he wanted to release the two Pokémon inside the balls, Rei and his three Pokémon friends walked back to the headquarters. Needless to say, a lot of humans turned to look at him when he passed.
Having an Eevee on my head draws a lot more attention than I thought it would...
Once they arrived at the building, Rei walked up the stairs until he arrived at the third floor, which only consisted of one office. Inside, there stood who the four Pokémon assumed was the commander, waiting for him. "I have been waiting for you! I am Kamado, commander of the Galaxy Expedition Team!" He yelled, making all of them flinch. Despite that, Rei took it as his que to enter.
"Hmm, so you are Rei" The boy put a determined look on his face and nodded. "Hmrrg! I've been briefed on your situation, including how you were found on the beach, presumably after falling from a rift in the sky..."
Without adding anything else, he took a battling stance. "Now, let's see what you are made of! Face me in combat!" Rei widened his eyes. Does he know?
Hoping that this was just some sort of human thing, Rei ran towards Kamado, but he just lobbed him up, making all the Pokémon riding on him fall, and threw him against a wall, not strongly enough to crack any bones, or more importantly, the illusion, but still hurt. "Hrrn! You've got some fight in you! Your sumo needs work, but I see some potential"
Sumo? Is that what this is supposed to be? I don't even know what that is!
Slowly, the disguised Zoroark stood up, and picked his friends. He walked in front of the commander once again. "Don't expect a warm welcome from everyone! Naturally, some will be slow to trust an outsider who literally fell out of the blue. The superstitious among us might see your arrival as a potential disaster!"
Rei rubbed his head. That was a warm welcome? If I entered a random den I found in the Icelands, I'd get a warmer welcome than this!
"However, you passed the trial that was put to you. No matter how odd you may seem, you are part of Jublife Village now. Dedicate yourself to the work of the Galaxy Expedition Team, and complete the Pokédex!"
His face turned into a serious expression. "But I warn you, Rei. Pokémon are terrifying creatures! Keep your wits about you as you work!"
The boy nodded again. "Very good. Now go back to Captain Cyllene's office. She will give you your next instructions"
Rei said goodbye to Kamado and went downstairs. The professor, Akari and the captain were all waiting for him. "So the commander has also accepted you" She began. "But understand this. You begin as a No Star recruit among our ranks. In other words, you have no rank at all"
"Aww, that sucks!" Shinx yelled.
"Everyone has to start from somewhere, right?" Eevee replied.
"Perform well as a member of the Survey Corps and you will move up through the ranks" Cyllene continued.
"Indeed!" Interrupted the professor. "You see, the more you add to the Pokédex, the higher your rank will become! And working on the Pokédex will also bring you all around the region"
"Here. You will need this" The captain gave Rei a piece of paper.
"What is that?" Cyndaquil asked.
"I don't know" Shinx replied.
"Some kind of instructions, maybe?" Eevee added.
"That's a recipe for crafting Poké-Balls. And also 3,000 Pokémon Dollars to buy the necessary materials" After giving Rei a small bag of money, she turned to the young girl next to her. "Akari, you are an expert at crafting yourself. Teach our new recruit what he needs to know"
"Of course, Captain Cyllene!" She replied, turning to Rei. "Now, as the experienced craftsperson here, let me explain a bit to start with. Crafting means making items with your own two hands. You can buy some items at the general store, but self-sufficiency is worth striving for! You can even make our most valuable tools: Poké-Balls! Think were we'd be if we couldn't do that!"
She started walking outside. "Now, let's head to the craftworks!"
Rei nodded and followed behind. Not counting the previous fight with Kamado, everything had been going smoothly. No one seemed to suspect anything, only giving him weird looks because of him carrying his Pokémon outside of their Poké-Balls.
But if Zoroark had learnt something from his father, was that calm times never last forever.
END OF CHAPTER 3